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Abstinence Only Until Marriage Programs

For over two decades, the federal government has sunk millions of taxpayer dollars into abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. While these programs often replace more comprehensive sexuality education courses, they rarely provide information on even the most basic topics in human sexuality such as puberty, reproductive anatomy, and sexual health, and they have never been proven effective. Since their inception, SIECUS has been tracking abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, advocating for an end to federal funding for these programs, and helping educators and parents keep these harmful programs out of their schools.

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A resource for educators who teach about sexuality with the tools they need to effectively reach young people. It includes lessons, curricula, research, and professional development opportunities.

SexEdLibrary.org has additional facts and statistics about program efficacy and provides resources for those educators who want to teach about abstinence without taking a strict abstinence-only-until-marriage approach.

The Community Action Kit is designed for all advocates, and provides the tools they need to become knowledgeable about sexuality education, build support in their state or community, work to implement sound policies, and institute or defend an effective comprehensive sexuality education program.

SIECUS created the No More Money campaign to help colleagues and individuals demand that the federal government end these harmful programs. The campaign’s website provides a history of abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, detailed information on federal spending on over the last two decades, and analysis on why these programs are such a waste of taxpayer dollars.